The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1887-02-10
LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN.
The story Told BY One Of Cen. Crosses star Ofle,

LOOhOOl MCJO il AIN.
The Story Told by One Of Gen. Crosses stan Officers.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: Any one who
has read Gen. Grants book will observe that he
gives credit TO Geary's Division of the TWen-
tieth Corps, Cruft's Division of the Fourth
Corps, and Osterhans's Division of the Fifteenth
Corps for the success at lookout Maintain
The writer hereof was a staff officer upOn the
staff of Gen. Grose, Third Brigade First Divis-
ion, Fourth Corps, and knows whereof he
speaks. The Battle above the Clouds was
fought on Nov. "a, 1868, by the three divisions
above cited.
Gearys Division, with the rest of the Twen-
tieth Corps, had been in Lookout Valley from
about Oct. 26 and with the assistance of Gen.
Hazen's picked command from Chattanooga cap
tured RaccOOn Mountain and Browns Ferry,
thereby opening up "the cracker line" from
Stevenson to Chattanooga for the starving army.
Shermans Army of the Tennessee passed up
through Lookout Valley and across the river
TO point north Of and across the river from
Missionary Ridge, and with il all of the Tween
tieth Corps, except the Second Division, COM
manded by Gen. Geary Gen. Osterhaus's Di-
vision of the Fifteenth Corps, not being up
with the rest of the corps, was left in Lookout
Valley. Stanley's First Division of the Fourth
Corps lay scattered along the railroad from
ShellmOund to Whitesde's Station. These
were the relative positions Of the three diyis-
ions on the morning of Nov. %.
During the day two brigades, the Second and
Third, of the First Division Fourth Corps,
under Brighten Chas. Cruft, Gen. Stanley
being absent,) moved up to Lookout Valley, so
that on the morning of the 9th Geary's Divis-
ion OF the Twentieth Corps advanced up the
valley to Wauhatchie, and crossing the creek
on a mill dam there formed line
UP THE SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN,
facing north, and Immediately commenced
moving, in line of battle, toward the north end
of the mountain. In the meantime Whitaker's
Second Brigade and Crosses Third Brigade
with the exception of the 18th and 94th H.,
which were ordered to make a demonstration
at the railroad bridge at the foot of the mount
ain--of the First Division, Fourth Corps,
moved up the creek south about a mile where
a crossing was effected, and as Gearys Division
/ passed formed second or supporting line in
rear of Geary's Division. During this time
/ Osterhauss Division of the Fifteenth Corps was
making demonstration as if trying TO cross
| the creek at the point of the mountain. The
/ two Illinois regiments above spoken of effected
a crossing at the railroad bridge and captured
a camp of rebels just at the railroad.
\ While these things were Transporting at the
/ bridge and below, Geary in front and CrufPs
two brigades supporting, swept along the side
| of the mountain north into and through the
/ rebel camp ON the west side of the mountain,
| driving everything before them to nearly OPP
back and reported his men out of ammunition,
and requested the second line, or CrufPs Divis-
ion, composed of the Second and Third Bril-
gades of the First Division, Fourth Corps, to
/ take the advance, which was done, Our line
passed through Geary's Division to the front,
driving the rebels around the point of the
mountain past the White House, where we cap
tured two pieces of artillery in the rocks and
timber close to the SummertOwn road.
When this had been accomplished Gems.
Geary, Whitaker and GroSe happened to meet in
the field near the White House, and Gen. Geary
expressed desire to
COMMUNICATE WITH GEN. HOOKER,
but had none of his staff or Orderlies with him.
Gen. Grose offered the services of the writer,
the only member of the three stats at hand, to
carry q dispatch down the mountain to Gen.
Hooker. passed down the north end to the
road running over the "nose0 of the mountain.
and then west on the road to an old farmhouse
just out of the valley of Lookout Creek, where
/ found Gen. Hooker. his staff and escort. After
he read the dispatch he dictated an order to
Gen. Geary, gave it to me, and as went up the
mountain again it was with the head of Oster-
hauss column, which, just at dark, relieved the
First Division of the Fourth Corps, and held
during the night the ground thus gained. That
is substantially how COmrade Blundin's White
Star flag got to the White House.
The morning of the 25th dawned bright and
clear, and at the earliest moment detachment
of the Sth KY, under a Lieutenant, climbed up
the perpendicular, rocky face by some means.
and just as they had gained the summit, 300
feet above us, and unfurled the flag, the sun
rose over Mission Ridge and kissed its beauti-
full folds. A soldier of the 59th ILL.,. cooking his
coffee and bacon at the writer's side, looked up
toward the top of the mountain and caught the
, first glimpse of it from below. and exclaimed
My God, there's the 1ag!"
He Started n cheer that vVaS eau0ht mn nv the
balance of the command and swelled in volume
as it passed on down the mountain through
. Thomas's army on the Chattanooga side and
, died away in Sherman's command,
; EIGHT MILES TO THE NORTH.
Then commenced the descent into Chattanooga
! Valley, Osterhaus in the advance, Crufts two
! brigades following, and Geary's Division in the
rear. The rebels had burned the bridge across
| Chattanooga Creek, and considerable delay was
, caused in crossing, so that the head of the col
umu did not reach Rossville Gap in Mission
Ridge, till nearly shutdown. Osterhauss Divis
ion passed through the Gap, and as the head Of
Cruft's Division, the Third Brigade in the ad-
vance, reached the Gap Gen. Cruft and Gen
GrOse rode up the gentle slope of Mission Ridge
} to the north, presumably TO get view of the
! surrounding country. While they were on the
crest, all in q bunch, volley from a rebel Skin
, mish-line was fred into US, and such a scatter
! ing of hOrsemen Nobody was hurt.
Itwas but the work ola moment to march the
three leading regiments the 9th Ind, 18th Ill.
} and cath Ohio, by the left flank up the slope
the next three regiments going through the
! same evOlutiOns and the last three likewise
forming their lines 'straddle" of Mission Ridge
Moving on down the ridge. sweeping every.
thing before us, we came to ThOmas's men, who
had come up the face of the ridge.
: Such was the part Rockers command played
in the battles of Lookout Mountain and Mis-
sionary Ridge. Comrade Biundin must not
T claim too much for the White Star Division. II
did WELL and all that was asked of it, but it did
not capture Lookout unaided, nor was flag Of
3 its division on the top of the mountain Nov
t "a or %, 1S63--GEO. r. SHAW, Captain, Co.
) 10Th ILL.,, Tampico, III.
WILLIAMSBU
RaEcOck's Brigade an Important Factor In tn